Lifting and carrying tool



March 17, 1942. M, F, TH RN 2,276,600

LIFTING AND CARRYING TOOL Filed Aug. 5, 1941 IIIl'IIIIII/I 1.

gwuc/rvbom METHOEN,

Patented Mar. 17, 1942 LIFTING AND oAnnmNGroo Millard F. ThormNevada, Tex. v Application August 5, 1941 Serial No. 405.537

3 Claims.

This invention relates to lifting and carrying tools particularly adapted for removing and carrying cylinder heads and the like.

An object of the'invention is to provide a tool of the type specified which may be readily en- 'gaged with the article to be lifted, and when once engaged, automatically grips firmly and securely in direct proportion to the weight of the article or the lifting force exerted, and which provides a safe, comfortable carrying handle facilitating accurate placement of the article.

Another object is to provide an improved tool for lifting and carrying cylinder heads and like members having projecting studs thereon which is adjustable. to accommodate itself. to varying stud spacings and. which is easily engageable with and releasable from the studs in applying and removing the tool while at the same time exerting a positive grip during the lifting and carrying operations.

A further object is to provide a tool of the type specified embodying a rigid carrying handle which ensures a safegrip for the workman using the tool.

The foregoing and. other objects and advantages will become apparent in View of the following description taken in conjunction with the drawing, wherein:

Fig. l is a view in side elevation of a cylinder head of the valve-in-head type with the improved tool applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the tool; and

Figs. 3 and 4 are sections taken on the lines 33 and 4-4 of Fig. 2.

The improved tool is particularly adapted for cylinder heads of the Valve-in-head type which have cover studs extending upwardly through the rocker arm cover of the motor, although the tool may be used for lifting and carrying any i object having spaced studs or members capable of being gripped by the tool, or wherein studs may be applied to accommodate the tool.

Referring to the drawing in detail, a cylinder head is generally indicated at ill in Fig. l and has projected upwardly therefrom cover studs 1 i and ll. The tool comprises a handle portion made up of channel member I2 and slide bar l3, these members being adapted for sliding telescoping engagement one with the other. In the form shown, the channel member I2 has secured thereon cross pieces l4 and M which prevent disengagement of the slide bar [3 when the lifting action takes place. However, these cross pieces could be substituted for a complete closure,

or the member l2 could be made of tubular form to receive .alike .contoured member substituted for the bar 13; the objectgb'eing to provide a comfortablehandle or hand gripmade'up of telescoping parts. To 'limitithe outward move: ment of the slide bar I3, a stopin the form'of a removable'screw head I5 is secured inthe inner end of the. said bar and is adapted to contact the cross piece M whenthe parts arecompletely extended. By removing the'screw [5, the handle membersmay be completely disengaged one from the other to render the .toolcompact forshipping and storage purposes.

Latching and locking'members,generally in dicatedat l1 and I1,.are provided at opposite ends of. the tool; the handle member'lZ being reduced as at it to provide a pro'jectingend portion IE or a cross sectional diameter substantially equal to that of the slide barl3 to accommodateits coacting latch member. These latch members are of similar construction, each comprising a horizontal or fiatpor-tion l8 which lies in substantiallythesame plane as that of the-tool and is formed at'opposit'e sides'with lugs i9 having a pivot pin 20 projected therethrough and also through the adjacent end of the tool. The rear end of the latch is bent upwardly to provide a finger piece 21 whereby the latch may be readily depressed against the tension of a leaf spring 22 which is secured to the underside of the finger piece and bears against the top surface of the coacting end of the tool, said spring serving to normally maintain the latch in clutching position. The outer end of the portion l8 of the latch is formed with a jaw 23 which is adapted to engage the coacting stud II or H.

The latch IT on the far end of the bar I3 has the parts given like reference numerals with the exception that a prime is added.

The reduced portion l6 of the handle member I2 is formed with a hole 24 adapted to engage over the stud l l, and the far end of the bar i 3 is also provided with a hole 24' adapted to engage over the stud H. These holes may be well oversize to accommodate studs of varying diameters.

The manner in which the tool operates will be apparent from the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the drawing. Briefly stated, the members l2 and I3 which constitute the handle or body of the tool may be extended or adjusted with respect to one another so that the holes 24 and 26' register with the studs I I and I i, whereupon it is only necessary to press the tool downwardly over the studs, the latter frictionally engaging the jaws 23 and rocking the latch members back as the tool is lowered. It is preferred to have the tension of the springs 22 and 22" such as will cause the jaws 23 and 23 to exert sufiicient frictional engagement with the studs l l and H to maintain the tool in position thereon. When the handle portion of the tool is grasped and an upward pull or lifting force is exerted on the tool, the jaws grip the studs in direct relation to the lifting force so exerted. The tool being rigid facilitates accurate placement of the cylinder head and there is no chance for the hand of the user to become injured, as is often the case where flexible straps and like members are used. Rigidity of the tool also facilitates the lifting and carrying operation. The tool is preferably made strong and rugged so that practically any reasonable lifting or prying force may be applied in removing a cylinder head.

It will be understood that certain limited changes in construction and design in the improved tool may beadopted without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention asdefined by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A tool for lifting and carrying cylinder heads and the like having spaced studs projecting therefrom, comprising a pair of rigid bars one of which is channel-shaped in cross section and the other of which is solid and telescopes into said channel bar, each of said bars having a hole formed through the outer end thereof for insertion over a stud, a latch adjacent each of said holes having lugs straddling the bar and pivoted thereto whereby the latch is rockably mounted on the bar, the outer end of the latch being formed with a jaw extending within the projected diametral area of the hole and the inner end of the latch being bent upwardly away from the bar, and a leaf spring secured to the underside of the latch and operating to urge the jaw to stud-gripping position.

2. A tool for lifting and carrying cylinder heads and like objects having spaced studs projecting therefrom, comprising a pair of rigid elongated bars at least one of which is hollow in cross section and telescopically and slidably receives the other bar and whereby the tool is rendered extensible to accommodate varying stud spacings, the telescoped portions of the bars constituting a lifting and carrying handle for the tool, each of said bars having a hole formed through the outer end thereof for insertion over a stud, latches pivotally connected to said outer ends adjacent said holes, each of said latches having a gripping jaw extended within the projected diametral area of the hole and the inher extremity of the latch being projected upwardly away from the bar to provide a jaw release member, means normally urging the jaws downwardly to stud-gripping position, each of said jaws when in its lowermost position abutting the upper surface of the bar on which it is mounted and being reinforced by the latter.

3. A tool for lifting and carrying cylinder heads and like objects having spaced studs projecting therefrom, comprising a pair of rigid elongated bars at least one of which is hollow in cross section and telescopically and slidably receives the other bar and whereby the tool is rendered extensible to accommodate varying stud spacings, the telescoped portions of the bars including all but the outer extremities of the latter so that when the bars are in fully telescoped relation the tool is materially shortened and rendered compact, said telescoped portions constituting a lifting and carrying handle for the tool, each of said bars having a hole formed through the outer end thereof for insertion over a stud, latches pivotally connected to the said outer ends adjacent said holes, each of said latches having a gripping jaw extended within the projected diametral area of the hole, and means normally urging the jaws downwardly to stud gripping position.

MILLARD F. THORN. 

